Mistletoe Memories

4 – Christmas Wishes

"SAAAAANNNNNTTTAAAAA!"

Jun looked up to see a blurry, pink-shaped blob hurtling across the room at breakneck speed. The next thing he knew, he was sprawled across the couch, beard half-falling off, gasping for breath and feeling as though he'd just taken a bullet to his chest. Which could almost describe what had just happened.

Though, rather than a bullet, he'd just taken Hinaichigo travelling at the speed of a bullet to his chest. Thank god for the pillow.

He recovered with difficulty, pulling his beard straight and trying to pry off the over-excited little doll, now with both arms clamped around his midriff, cuddling him like he was some sort of a giant soft toy.

"Um...ho ho ho...he-hey there, little kid..." Jun paused, as he realised exactly how pedo he sounded. "Urgh. Screw this...so, Hinaichigo..."

The sixth doll beamed up at him, smiling wide enough to swallow a plate. Jun cursed inwardly; it would take a heart of stone (or Shinku) to not be disarmed by Hinaichigo's huge, innocent grin. Even Suiseiseki didn't stand a chance against it.

"Have you been a good girl, Hinaichigo?"

She nodded as furiously as if her life depended on it.

"Hina has been extra, extra good for Santa! Nori told me all about your reindeer, and the elves at the North Pole, and your sleigh, and – "

"Um, Hinaichigo, what do you want for Christmas?" Jun butted in as she chattered on distractedly.

"Unyuu..." Hinaichigo chewed her lip thoughtfully. "It's okay, Santa. I only want four things for Christmas this year!"

"Shoot away."

"First, I want strawberry unyuu...lots and lots and lots of it!"

Of course. Jun sighed. That had already been taken care of.

"Next, I want a Kunkun toy! Because right now I have to share with Shinku, and she never lets me play with it very much..."

That was slightly more problematic, considering Shinku's unpredictable and possibly volatile reaction to such a gift, but not impossible.

"But what I want most of all is...I want everything to stay like this."

"Huh?" Jun stared down at the innocent doll.

"I want it to be like this forever. Everyone is so happy right now. Even Suigintou isn't scary anymore. I want to smile and laugh with everyone. I want this happy feeling to last forever. It's okay if you don't give me the other presents, but that's the one I want the most."

"I think that's what everyone wants too, Hina," Jun said quietly, smiling down fondly at her. It was these moments that he realised out of all of them, Hinaichigo was the only one who was able to express with her innocent honesty this simple, unspoken desire that they all share. The Rozen Maiden, who strive for perfection but wish for nothing more than a little happiness.

"Unyuu...there was one more thing...Suiseiseki told me I should tell Santa this one...but I don't really get it..."

An unpleasant, suspicious sensation immediately began to prickled up Jun's spine.

"What was it?"

"Um...Suiseiseki said to tell Santa to make Jun confess to Shinku already unless he wants Suigintou to do it before he does."

"WHAT?" Jun spluttered, turned bright red and almost practically tore his fake beard off, before remembering that he had to maintain his facade in front of Hinaichigo. "Erm...I mean...Suiseiseki told you that, did she?"

"Santa...what's Jun supposed to confess?"

"Never mind that, Hina. You go and tell Suiseiseki that she'll be getting coal in her Christmas stocking this year."